Lesbia hath a beaming eye,
But no one knows for whom it beameth;
Right and left its arrows fly,
But what they aim at no one dreameth.
Sweeter ’tis to gaze upon
My Nora’s lid that seldom rises;
Few its looks, but every one,
Like unexpected light, surprises!
Oh, my Nora Creina, dear,
My gentle, bashful Nora Creina,
Beauty lies
In many eyes,
But Love in yours, my Nora Creina.
Lesbia wears a robe of gold,
But all so close the nymph hath laced it,
Not a charm of beauty’s mould
Presumes to stay where Nature placed it.
Oh! my Nora’s gown for me,
That floats as wild as mountain breezes,
Leaving every beauty free
To sink or swell as Heaven pleases.
Yes, my Nora Creina, dear,
My simple, graceful Nora Creina,
Nature’s dress
Is loveliness —
The dress you wear, my Nora Creina.
Lesbia hath a wit refined,
But, when its points are gleaning round us,
Who can tell if they’re design’d
To dazzle merely, or to wound us?
Pillow’d on my Nora’s heart,
In safer slumber Love reposes —
Bed of peace! whose roughest part
Is but the crumpling of the roses.
Oh! my Nora Creina, dear,
My mild, my artless Nora Creina!
Wit, though bright,
Hath no such light
As warms your eyes, my Nora Creina.
(Thomas Moore)
More Poetry from Thomas Moore:
Thomas Moore Poems based on Topics: Light, Beauty, War & Peace, Charm, Nature, Gold, Wit- As Slow Our Ship (Thomas Moore Poems)
- Drink of This Cup (Thomas Moore Poems)
- How Oft Has the Benshee Cried (Thomas Moore Poems)
- Nay, Tell Me Not, Dear (Thomas Moore Poems)
- Oh, the Shamrock (Thomas Moore Poems)
- Sing, Sweet Harp (Thomas Moore Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Light Poems, Nature Poems, War & Peace Poems, Beauty Poems, Gold Poems, Wit Poems, Charm PoemsBased on Keywords: safer, beaming, bashful, laced, lesbia, surprises, reposes, roughest, presumes, gleaning, dreameth